One certainly hopes that we are not about to witness a Tiananmen Square‐​style massacre. But even a less bloody crackdown would have far‐​reaching consequences and severely damage Beijing’s standing in the world.

A prohibition strategy guarantees that violent criminal gangs are the suppliers—with all the accompanying violence and corruption. The bloody struggles in Mexico are merely the latest confirmation of that reality.

NATO (as well as the EU) is showing multiple fissures regarding a growing array of political and security issues. Add Catalonia’s mounting challenge to Spain’s unity and territorial integrity to the list of potential troubles for the Alliance.